All Things 2021 Minnesota Twins In-Season Thread

Donate To GopherHole
GophersInIowa said:
This is just as stupid as what the Twins did. The rain has largely dissipated (at least the stuff going towards the south side). They should be playing right now.
Click to expand...
Yes it is ridiculous but at least they did it before people showed up to the stadium. I think MLB should fine the twins twice, the Indians, and the white Sox for what has happened on Saturday and today. Once this catches on teams are gonna do this all the time just to get some extra off days and try to set up their rotation for up coming games.
 


Poor PR regarding rain outs is not limited to the Twins.

2018 I was at Wrigley on a June night to see the Dodgers take on the Cubs in a night game, with RF bleacher seats. Scattered thunderstorms had been in the forecast for the northside, but as the game approached I hung out with my cousin at Murphey's to get our pregame on.

Game approaches, and about 5 minutes before the game was supposed to start the tarps came out due to threat of rain/lightning. For an hour though, nothing happened so we continued with Old Styles in our seats. About 8pm the sky did open up and it poured for well over a half hour. 9pm the tarps come off and the teams restart warmups (current Twin Maeda was the scheduled Dodgers starter).

9:30 pm approaching still no baseball though. The transformer had issues, the 1B/RF lights were not coming on. After 10pm they scrapped it. Make-up for Noon the next day (to start a split doubleheader) which the Cubs originally said was the only option for ticket holders. Spent easily $100 with out seeing 1 pitch.

Fans and media went nuts over this, and the Cubs did relent but ticket holders had to either call in, go to the box office or log in on the web prior to Noon that next day to exchange their tickets for another game. I do suspect they had very little inventory.

I was on vacation, just delayed my return home a little bit and took in the matinee. It was pretty cool, experiencing Wrigley on a perfectly sunny day much like it was in the 70s & early 80s, only about one third full. Spent 3 innings in RF, moved to LF and then CF. Skipped the Old Styles though, banged up from the night before and had a 7 hr postgame drive back home.
 
Last edited:


Under current MLB policy, the host team has control in deciding whether to start the game. Once the 1st pitch is thrown, then the umpires have final say on whether there is a rain delay or the game is called off.

If we get more of these incidents, I would not be surprised to see MLB attempt to change the rule so that the umpires are in charge before the game, not the host team.
 


short ornery norwegian said:
Under current MLB policy, the host team has control in deciding whether to start the game. Once the 1st pitch is thrown, then the umpires have final say on whether there is a rain delay or the game is called off.

If we get more of these incidents, I would not be surprised to see MLB attempt to change the rule so that the umpires are in charge before the game, not the host team.
Click to expand...
That's the way it should be. Or least move the timeline up. The team can control up to 3 hours before the game. After that it's up to the umps.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Under current MLB policy, the host team has control in deciding whether to start the game. Once the 1st pitch is thrown, then the umpires have final say on whether there is a rain delay or the game is called off.

If we get more of these incidents, I would not be surprised to see MLB attempt to change the rule so that the umpires are in charge before the game, not the host team.
Click to expand...

I agree with taking control away from the home team, but I don't think it should be the umpires call either. I don't think any of them are trained meteorologists for what the weather may or may not do. They could have their self interests as well.

Someone in the MLB Office should be making that call in consultation with someone like Dave Dahl.
 

short ornery norwegian said:
Under current MLB policy, the host team has control in deciding whether to start the game. Once the 1st pitch is thrown, then the umpires have final say on whether there is a rain delay or the game is called off.

If we get more of these incidents, I would not be surprised to see MLB attempt to change the rule so that the umpires are in charge before the game, not the host team.
Click to expand...
I believe the umpires has the final say when the lineup cards are in not when the 1st pitch is thrown. Once the lineup cards are in. Then it the umpires final call.
 

The twins were too well rested tonight to compete.

wait till you see the garbage pitchers next year once they trade Berrios away. The whole roster will be JA Haap’s and Shoemakers.
 



April: 9-15
May: 13-16
June: 11-13 (one more game tonight)

We're turning it around! :)
 

did anyone catch the Donaldson fracas from Tues night?

short recap:
Donaldson hits 1st inning HR off Giolito. As Donaldson crossed home plate, he rubbed his hands together and yelled something about "no sticky stuff."

after the game Giolito got on the zoom call with the media and went after Donaldson, with a number of bleeped-out choice words. Giolito closed with "I got the W and they're in last place."

if you can find the audio of Giolito's comments online, it's a hoot.
 

Two things after night.

I hope the fire sale starts tomorrow cause it’s officially over.

I hope they kick Matt shoemaker out of the team hotel tonight and make him pay for his own room. This has to be the end of him with the twins otherwise the front office is basically saying his terrible performance is acceptable and there are no consequences.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
Two things after night.

I hope the fire sale starts tomorrow cause it’s officially over.

I hope they kick Matt shoemaker out of the team hotel tonight and make him pay for his own room. This has to be the end of him with the twins otherwise the front office is basically saying his terrible performance is acceptable and there are no consequences.
Click to expand...
Shoe's been DFA'd. Only two months too late.
 



howeda7 said:
Shoe's been DFA'd. Only two months too late.
Click to expand...
Nah all him and Colome did was to completely derail the season from the start. In a season with World Series expectations to be gutting the team in July is unbelievable to me.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
Nah all him and Colome did was to completely derail the season from the start. In a season with World Series expectations to be gutting the team in July is unbelievable to me.
Click to expand...
Not sure why all the angst is directed to Shoe & Colome. Falvey/Levine pinned a lot of their hopes on them, they should the lion's share of the blame.

Also, if those 2 had pitched as well as they had hoped the Twins pitching staff has plenty of other shortcomings and would probably still be double digits games back of the White Sox. If Buxton had been playing CF everyday, he could have covered up some of the pitching woes.
 

Ope3 said:
Not sure why all the angst is directed to Shoe & Colome. Falvey/Levine pinned a lot of their hopes on them, they should the lion's share of the blame.

Also, if those 2 had pitched as well as they had hoped the Twins pitching staff has plenty of other shortcomings and would probably still be double digits games back of the White Sox. If Buxton had been playing CF everyday, he could have covered up some of the pitching woes.
Click to expand...
Yes Falvey and Levine shoulder the blame for signing them, but ultimately both the pitchers were so much worse than any other time in their careers. Some of that stink has to fall on the players as they are the ones throwing the ball towards the plate. Shoemaker is going to have the highest ERA for someone throwing 60 plus innings in twins history. That’s something Shoe has to wear.
 

From the Parkinglot said:
Yes Falvey and Levine shoulder the blame for signing them, but ultimately both the pitchers were so much worse than any other time in their careers. Some of that stink has to fall on the players as they are the ones throwing the ball towards the plate. Shoemaker is going to have the highest ERA for someone throwing 60 plus innings in twins history. That’s something Shoe has to wear.
Click to expand...
Make no mistake, Shoemaker was brutal. Perhaps historically. My point was that he (and Colome) did not "derail" the season as you indicated, the Twins woes go deeper than that, which is what Falvey & Levine should be tagged with.

If those 2 had pitched adequately, the Twins would still be chasing the White Sox, by a lot. Why they kept running him out there is a mystery.

Complaining about Shoe/Colome seems akin to be moaning about the cold water while the Titanic was sinking. While justified, there were bigger problems.
 
Last edited:

Ope3 said:
Make no mistake, Shoemaker was brutal. Perhaps historically. My point was that he (and Colome) did not "derail" the season as you indicated, the Twins woes go deeper than that, which is what Falvey & Levine should be tagged with.

If those 2 had pitched adequately, the Twins would still be chasing the White Sox, by a lot. Why they kept running him out there is a mystery.

Complaining about Shoe/Colome seems akin to be moaning about the cold water while the Titanic was sinking. While justified, there were bigger problems.
Click to expand...
Of course there are other problems but you can’t have a pitcher go out there every 5 games that has an 80% chance he losses in shoemaker. The. You have your closer who the first game shits the bed and you lose a game you had no reason to lose.

bigger problems being Sano is unplayable cause he can’t hit, Kepler should be unplayable cause he can’t hit, I don’t think anyone like Simmons cause he brought Covid into the clubhouse. I still don’t think they have enough people vaccinated so they are locked down whenever they go on the road, which can’t be any fun.
 

Ope3 said:
Not sure why all the angst is directed to Shoe & Colome. Falvey/Levine pinned a lot of their hopes on them, they should the lion's share of the blame.

Also, if those 2 had pitched as well as they had hoped the Twins pitching staff has plenty of other shortcomings and would probably still be double digits games back of the White Sox. If Buxton had been playing CF everyday, he could have covered up some of the pitching woes.
Click to expand...
I was fine with the Shoemaker signing under the assumption they were just taking a shot and would cut him in Spring or after 3-4 starts if he wasn't good. But they hung onto him way, way too long.
 

Ope3 said:
Make no mistake, Shoemaker was brutal. Perhaps historically. My point was that he (and Colome) did not "derail" the season as you indicated, the Twins woes go deeper than that, which is what Falvey & Levine should be tagged with.

If those 2 had pitched adequately, the Twins would still be chasing the White Sox, by a lot. Why they kept running him out there is a mystery.

Complaining about Shoe/Colome seems akin to be moaning about the cold water while the Titanic was sinking. While justified, there were bigger problems.
Click to expand...
On the high end, they might have won about 5 more games if they'd gone with other alternatives to these two. But 38-41 would still be disappointing and the season would still be on the brink of being over.

They failed miserably to build an adequate pitching staff and that's Falvey's supposed strength. I wouldn't be sad if he was canned but I know he won't be.
 

howeda7 said:
On the high end, they might have won about 5 more games if they'd gone with other alternatives to these two. But 38-41 would still be disappointing and the season would still be on the brink of being over.

They failed miserably to build an adequate pitching staff and that's Falvey's supposed strength. I wouldn't be sad if he was canned but I know he won't be.
Click to expand...
As I’ve said many times before, the window for a mid market team doesn’t stay open forever. You either have to overpay for proven starters, or trade away good assets to get arms and strike while your window is open. They didn’t, and now the window has closed. They have to have a going out of business sale and liquidate everything to try and get some credible prospects.

We’ve seen this movie many times before. They refuse to go “all in” for a year or two when the window is open with the hopes of building something long term. But they don’t have a payroll to support something long term. At least we don’t have to see them extend the record post season futility streak this year.
 

forever a gopher said:
As I’ve said many times before, the window for a mid market team doesn’t stay open forever. You either have to overpay for proven starters, or trade away good assets to get arms and strike while your window is open. They didn’t, and now the window has closed. They have to have a going out of business sale and liquidate everything to try and get some credible prospects.

We’ve seen this movie many times before. They refuse to go “all in” for a year or two when the window is open with the hopes of building something long term. But they don’t have a payroll to support something long term. At least we don’t have to see them extend the record post season futility streak this year.
Click to expand...
Not acquiring a starter at the trade deadline in 2019 was a crime. I've been done with Falvey ever since. Same with Terry Ryan in 2006.
 

Haap can be the next terrible pitcher to be DFA’d. 47 runs over his last 47 innings ain’t gonna get it done.
 


another pitcher that has found success at a different organization after being let go for free. That also includes AL All star start Kyle Gibson. For a front office that over sold it’s ability to find pitching they certainly have given some good pitching away for free.
 

Royals had lost 9 in a row until they met up with it twins. Now they are winner is 2 in a row.

oh and josh Donaldson hurt his leg again so his new spring training running style must not be working. Although given him credit has has played a lot of games between being hurt opening day and now.
 


Time to kick the nerds out of the front office and bring in a hard-nosed manager.
 
Last edited:

Well, if you're looking for hope, I was reading an article that ranked teams' minor league systems, and the person doing the rankings had the Twins' farm system ranked 5th.

There are some well-thought of pitching prospects - Winder, Canterino, Balazovich and Duran, to name a few starting prospects. and a reliever named Colina. Problem is that several have had injuries. Another high draft pick, Enlow, a starter, is out for the year after surgery.

Former top pick Royce Lewis is out this year with an injury, so he'll probably need some time in the minors, but he should be with the Twins at some point next year. The Miranda kid was tearing up AA, and they have moved him up to AAA, so he could be getting close. a 3B with power (replacement for Donaldson....?)

So, if the Twins can keep some of these guys healthy, they could potentially have a home-grown rotation in a couple of years.

But no doubt about it, Falvey and Levine have to make some better decisions on trades and free agents.
 

Positives are Larnach and Kiriloff. They both look like professional left-handed hitters. And Nick Gordon has some potential. I don't know if there are any good arms coming. That's the real kick in the teeth. Cleveland is outstanding at developing pitchers. And Falvey has shown next to zero on that end.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom